


Too Late

by MaggieMaybe160



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-07-02 22:53:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15806193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaggieMaybe160/pseuds/MaggieMaybe160
Summary: Cas came back from the Empty but years had passed and he didn’t know. Cas found Dean but Sam was dead and Dean was retired and married.





	Too Late

Dean Winchester had long since lost the ache in his ribs from where Castiel had long ago carved Enochian into them to keep him hidden. It had been too many years without the constant upkeep of bone regrowth. It had been too long since he had seen his Castiel.

Dean spun the plain silver ring on his left hand as he ate a quiet breakfast. The old dog in the corner who waited for Dean to finish eating had once belonged to Sam. The dog stood up and went to Dean, putting his head in his lap, begging for the last piece of bacon. Dean had grown soft. He had once yelled at Sam for adding Bear, the oversized puppy, to the family. Now, he gave his last piece of bacon to his brother’s dog and went to the sink to clean his plate.

* * *

Cas stood up in a field. He had won. He had gotten out of the Empty. Something was wrong, though. He closed his eyes and tested if he could locate Dean. As strong as when Dean had first reemerged from Hell, there was Dean on his radar. A bright light for him to follow.

Cas stood in front of a small house and wondered if maybe Dean was on a hunt here. Outside the small house was the shining black impala that gave Cas the confidence to walk toward the house. There was a huge brown dog with flecks of white on his face sitting on the small front porch. The dog wagged his tail and barked happily.

“Son of a bitch.” Cas heard Dean inside the house. Cas felt himself freeze as he stood on the walkway. “What is it, Bear-” Dean had opened the door and stopped. Stopped walking. Stopped breathing. Stopped.

Dean’s once brown hair had grayed. His boots, which had been efficient while hunting, had been retired for a pair of plaid slippers. On each hand now, Dean had a shining silver ring on each of his ring fingers. His eyes were just the same, though.

“Cas.” Dean breathed after what felt like years.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Cas.” Dean said again and half fell into the door he had been holding open. Castiel rushed to him and caught him as Dean fell to the ground.

* * *

Dean found himself in the all too familiar place of standing and watching his lifeless form while he knew he was dead. He felt panic rising as he watched Castiel, his Castiel, sobbing his name.

“No! No no no!” Dean turned around to face Death.

“Now, Dean.” Billie said in her cool voice.

“No! I just got him back!”

“I listened to you pray, Dean. I listened to you say the words that once you’d gotten to see Castiel again, you’re life would be complete.”

Dean’s face fell, hearing his own words against him. He turned around and watched Cas hold him. He nodded once and went with Billie.

* * *

Cas carried Dean into the house and laid Dean on the empty kitchen table. He walked to the nearest closet and grabbed a white sheet.

“Dean, what was Bear barking about?” A woman’s voice came from down the hall but Cas ignored it. He walked to Dean and rested one hand on Dean’s chest, where there would have been a beat. There should have been a beat.

“Dean?” Cas turned this time to see a short woman with gray streaked dark hair. She stopped in her tracks and reached for her belt, raising a gun and aiming at Cas. “Get out of my house.” Cas saw the gleam of her wedding ring but he didn’t care. He took a few steps as she shot once. He ignored the shot that had hit him square in the chest and touched his two fingers to her forehead very gently. She fell and he returned to Dean.

Cas bound Dean in the white sheet and left him there to go build the pyre in the yard. He did so silently with the dog following him at his heels. He laid Dean on top of the pyre and asked the dog to sit down far enough away from the fire that he wouldn’t get hurt. He lit the fire and went to stand with the dog who let out a sad howl.

“Goodbye, Dean.”

* * *

Castiel stood in the small playground that he knew to be the gateway into Heaven. It seemed to be one of the few things unchanged about the world. He drew a few Enochian Runes to keep himself hidden and stepped into Heaven.

He didn’t have a lot of time before he was found. He knew that if he was discovered to be alive, that he still wouldn’t be welcomed home by the angels. He had to be quick. He raced down the pristine white corridors. He could hear the alarm of a random opening of the gateway. He could hear the angels talking and worrying. They knew something was wrong. He ran faster straight to the door with Dean Winchester’s name. He opened the door quickly and closed it soundlessly behind him.

“Cas!” Castiel turned and saw Dean as he remembered him. Young, in flannel, jeans, and boots. Light brown hair and the biggest grin under the sprinkle of freckles. The bright green eyes that he knew and loved.

“Hello, Dean.” Cas smiled as Dean wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug.


End file.
